Lighter mechanism



Sept. 2, 1965 R. R. MANDY 9 LIGHTER MECHANISM Filed May 23, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l ROBERT R.MANDY KARL ULFL C 5 ATTORNEY Sept. 28, 195 R. R. MANDY 3,20,44

LIGHTER MECHANISM Filed May 25, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ROBERT R MANDY BY KARL w. flows ATTORNEY United States Patent Inc.,

This invention relates to lighter structure and is particularly concerned with lighters fueled by combustible gas of the butane type which assumes gaseous form when released under usual atmospheric temperatures and pressures, but which remains largely in liquid form at such temperatures when held under sufficient pressure. In addition, this invention relates to the filler mechanism used in accordance with the lighter structure.

Liquefied gas pyrophoric lighters on which a reservoir within the lighter is connected to a filler valve through which a gas enters the reservoir from a supply container and is released through a burner in controlled amounts to be lit by a spark supplying a flame, the size of which is controlled by the flow of gas released at the burner, are known in the prior art.

In filling a reservoir using valves of the prior art the liquefied gas in the supply container requires the addition of a gas under excessively high pressure in the container to raise the pressure in the container in order to force the liquefied gas through the filler valve into the reservoir against the pressure of expanded gas in the reservoir. This expanded gas in the reservoir is due to gas remaining from a previous filling or the first amount of the liquefied gas entering the empty reservoir. This expanded gas in an airtight reservoir greatly limits the amount of gas that can enter the reservoir in liquefied form thereby causing a lighter on each filling to operate for a shorter period of time before the next refilling is necessary.

In releasing the fuel in gaseous form an adjustment must be made in the factory to obtain flame height between maximum and minimum limits for convenient yet safe use. The adjustment must also be available to the user to change the flame height between the maximum and minimum limits for his most convenient use.

Therefore it is an object of the present invention to fill the reservoir of a gas lighter with the greatest possible quantity of gas in liquefied form by removing the back pressure which prevents this being done in the most complete manner.

It is also an object of the present invention to allow factory adjustment and individual user adjustment of flame height with a simple type of mechanism.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a filling mechanism that works in combination with the filler valve of the present invention to allow maximum flow of liquefied gas into the reservoir of the lighter.

Accordingly the present invention is directed to a lighter having a reservoir which is supplied liquefied gas through a filler valve from a supply container adapted to operate said valve while venting trapped gas in the reservoir to the atmosphere, and a burner having a novel adjusting means for controlling the release of this gas from the reservoir during use in the pyrophosphoric lighter.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a central vertical section taken through the lighter;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section of the filler valve of the present invention taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a part of the lighter containing the filler valve;

FIG. 4 is a filler can and adapter that cooperates with the filler valve of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a section view of the adapter and filler valve in cooperating position;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged top view of the open lighter of the present invention without the top of the lighter and the windshield;

FIG. 7 is a partial section view of the lighter taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing adjusting mechanism of the burner of the lighter of the present invention.

Considering the details of the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the central vertical section of FIG. 1 illustrates the lighter of the present invention in a closed state as when not in the process of being used or filled. A casing 10 has a top section 11 and a bottom section 12 attached thereto and a reservoir 13 for holding liquified gas therein. Top section 11 of the casing 10 has a well 14 therein containing a flint 15 which is held against flint wheel 16 by spring 19. Adjacent to the flint mechanism there is an opening in top 11 communicating with reservoir 13 in which plug 17 is screwed comprising the casing for burner 20. Liquified gas in reservoir 13 saturates wick 18 and the gas passes around the threads of screw 21 attaching wick 18 to the bottom of plug 17. The gas then travels around ball 22 and through porous mass 23 into the chamber 24 formed by thimble shaped member 25. At this point, passage of the gas through the opening 26 in thimble shaped member is blocked by a resilient seal 27 mounted on the bottom of needle 28. Resilient seal 27 is held against opening '26 by spring 31 attached to the separate top cover of the lighter and held to casing 10 for cooperative action therewith by another spring 32 which has an inverted U section 33 at one end positioned over a transverse rod 34- mounted in top cover 30. A part of the burner 20 including stem 29 and the flint 15 project from casing 10 through openings in spring 32. Spring 32 in turn is held to casing 10 by means of screw 35 which passes through an opening in spring 32 and then through slot 41 in adjusting wheel to screw into top section 11 of casing 16. Also mounted on top section 11 protecting the opening around stem 29 when the lighter is in use is windshield 36.

In the bottom section 12 of casing 10, filler valve is mounted in communication with reservoir 13. FIG. 3 shows an enlarged bottom view of the section of the bottom 12 wherein the filler valve 50 is located. Screw section 52 protects valve 50 from damage or from accidentally discharging the contents of reservoir 13 and slot 51 therein facilitates removal of screw section 52 when it is desired to refill reservoir 13 with liquified gas. Gasket 53 completes the seal when screw section 52 is in place.

Filler valve 50 is shown in enlarged section in FIG. 2. Plug 54 is screwed into a threaded opening in bottom section 12. Center wall 55 divides plug 54 into two chambers 56 and 57 communicating with reservoir 13 through passages 58 and 59 respectively. Passage 58 is ordinarily a larger opening than passage 59. In chamber 56 there is located a spring 60 under compression holding valve member 62 pressed against gasket 64. Similarly in chamber 57, a spring 61 under compression presses valve member 63 against gasket 65 located around the opening to the atmosphere in filler valve 50. Valve member 63 is solid throughout but valve member 62 dilfers by having a passage 66 into the outer end of valve member 62 and opening out through the sides of the valve member 62.

The outer edge 67 of the opening leading into chamber 56 is beveled in order to cooperate with the beveled surface 71 of adapter 70. Adapter 70 shown in a perspective view in FIG. 4 may be either a separate adapter used with a supply container having an ordinary stop valve in its nozzle, or it may be incorporated as an integral part of the supply container.

Adapter 7 has tubular section 72 which fits snugly over nozzle 78 of supply container 79. Projections 73 and 74 on the opposite end of adapter 70 are formed so as to cooperate with filler valve 50 during the operation of transferring liquified gas from supply container 79 to reservoir 13. In this operation, after screw section 52 has been removed, adapter 70, with nozzle 78 inserted in tubular section 72, is inserted into the opening 49 left by the removal of screw section 52. Projection 74 having a passageway 75 therethrough is inserted into contact with valve member 62 so that passageway 75 will lead liquified gas from supply container 79 into the passage 66. When projection 74 has been inserted to a distance that beveled surface 71 is pressed against beveled edge 67, valve member 62 is moved against spring 60 to a position allowing the opening of passage 66, through its side openings, into chamber 56 and thereby allowing the movement of liquified gas from supply container 79, through passageway 75 in adapter 70 and passage 66 in valve member 62 into chamber 56 and through opening 58 in the wall of chamber 56 into reservoir 13.

At the same time that projection 74 contacts valve member 62, projection 73 on adapter 70 is also inserted in opening 49 into contact with valve member 63. Upon further insertion of projection 73, valve member 63 is moved against the force of spring 61 venting reservoir 13 to the atmosphere. Trapped gas in reservoir 13 is allowed to escape thereby permitting a greater volume of gas in liquified form to enter the reservoir 13 for longer uninterrupted operation of the lighter. Venting of reservoir 13 takes place through opening 59 into chamber 57 and out to the atmosphere around the stem 68 of valve member 63 and projection 73. It will easily be noted when vapor from the overflow of liquified gas issues from around projection 73 denoting the filling to capacity of reservoir 13. Supply container 79 with adapter 70 on nozzle 78 thereof is then withdrawn and screw section 52 replaced.

When it is desired to use the liquified gas stored in reservoir 13 the cover 30 of the lighter is raised, pivoting on transverse rod 34 at inverted U section 33. The pressure of spring 31 pressing on stem 29 is removed as shown in FIG. 7, needle 28 is raised by pressure of the gas from the reservoir 13 against resilient seal 27. The gas in chamber 24 passes through opening 26 and out around stem 29 to the atmosphere where it is ignited by a spark generated by the movement of flint wheel 16 against flint 15 in the usual manner of a pyrophoric lighter. The size of the flame is controlled by controlling the rate at which the gas issues from around stem 29. Since the gas must pass through porous mass 23 any increase in the compression of mass 23 will decrease the porosity of mass 23 and decrease the rate of flow of gas therethrough. As illustrated in FIG. 7 the compressive force on porous mass 23 is determined by thimble shaped member 25 compressing it against ball 22. Changes in the compressive force are exerted by tubular member 42 which is threaded into plug 17 and peripherally contacts thimble shaped member 25, either moving it toward porous mass 23 or releasing pressure on it depending upon the manual adjustment of adjusting wheel 40. Splines 43 on tubular member 42 correspond to a notched circumference of a center hole in adjusting wheel 40 and therefore a positive turning action of tubular member 42 takes place upon turning of adjusting wheel 40. Turning of adjusting wheel 40 is aided by the knurling 44 around its periphery.

Adjustment of the flame height first takes place in the factory where tubular member 42 is threaded into plug 17 to allow a flame of a set height to issue from the burner. Splines 43 are then engaged in the notches in adjusting wheel 40 with slot 41 in adjusting wheel 40 positioned over the threaded hole in top section 11 of casing 10 made to receive screw 35. As to whether the screw 35 will be centered in slot 41 as shown in FIG. 6 or toward either end of slot 41 is wholly determined by specifications for flame height and whether adjustment and testing of flame height is at maximum height, minimum height, or some intermediate height and may be determined arbitrarily. But, no matter which test height is used, slot 41 must be positioned so as to allow screw 35 to pass through slot 41 into the threaded hole in top section 11. The user of the lighter may now adjust the flame height by movement of wheel 40 within limits allowed by the ends of slot 41.

Thus a very simple mechanism allows factory setting and adjustment by the user in a very economical manner. In addition to screw 35 being used in conncetion with adjusting wheel 40 it serves the additional function of attaching spring 32 to case 10 thereby completing the attachment of top cover 31 to case 10. Thus in a single step of manufacture the flame adjustment setting is secured and the top cover is secured to the lighter case. This presents an economy in parts and labor where even small economies count, without a sacrifice of the quality of operation.

A complete lighter of the type using liquified gas as fuel has been disclosed, having a novel filler valve and burner mechanism with novel filling mechanism adapted to cooperate with the filler valve.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a gas fueled lighter system constructed to be charged with liquified gas under pressure comprising a casing, a reservoir within said casing for containing the liquified gas, valve means communicating with said reservoir including a cup-like member threaded into said casing, a dividing means in said cup-like member separating said cup-like member into separate chambers, each of said separate chambers communicating with said reservoir, a valve member in each of said chambers closing communication through said casing to said reservoir in the closed position and opening communication through said casing in the open position, biasing means in each of said chambers biasing each said valve member to a closed position, and one of said valve members having a passage therethrough communicating with said chamber communication with said reservoir when said one of said valve members is in the open position.

2. A gas fueled lighter system in accordance with claim 1, further including an adapter supply means having prongs spaced to enter said valve means and to open each of said valve members at substantially the same time and limiting external surfaces cooperating with said valve means to limit the entrance of said prongs into said valve means whereby venting of said reservoir to the atmosphere occurs during passage of liquefied gas into said reservoir.

3. In combination, a gas fueled lighter system comprising a casing, a reservoir within said casing, a control valve for controlling the escape of the gas from said reservoir including socket means inserted in said casing having a thread on the internal wall, tubular means having external threading to thread into said socket means, compressible means controlling the flow of gas through said control valve in operative relationship for compression by rotative movement of said tubular means, wheel means around the outer periphery of said tubular means to aid in the rotation of said tubular means, connecting means between said tubular means and said wheel means, said wheel means having a slot therethrough, means to limit movement of said wheel means attached to said casing passing through said slot, and a cover attached to said casing by said means to limit movement of said Wheel means.

4. The gas fueled lighter system of claim 3, further characterized by said cover including a spring means held to said casing by said means to limit movement of said wheel means attached to said casing passing through said slot.

5. The gas fueled lighter system of claim 4 further characterized by said means to limit movement of said Wheel means attached to said casing passing through said slot being a screw threaded into said casing and having a head holding said spring means to said casing.

6. A gas fueled lighter system constructed to be charged With liquefied gas under pressure comprising a casing, a cover attached to said casing, a reservoir within said casing for containing the liquefied gas, means for allowing the liquefied gas into said reservoir, rotative means to control the escape of the liquefied gas from said reservoir having a slot through said rotative means, and a single element means both to limit the controlled escape of the liquefied gas and to attach said cover to said casing passing through said slot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Examiner.

11/56 Storch 67--7.10 

6. A GAS FUELED LIGHTER SYSTEM CONSTRUCTED TO BE CHARGED WITH LIQUEFIED GAS UNDER PRESSURE COMPRISING A CASING, A COVER ATTACHED TO SAID CASING, A RESERVOIR WITHIN SAID CASING FOR CONTAINING THE LIQUEFIED GAS, MEANS FOR ALLOWING THE LIQUEFIED GAS INTO SAID RESERVOIR, ROTATIVE MEANS TO CONTROL THE ESCAPE OF THE LIQUEFIED GAS FROM SAID RESERVOIR HAVING A SLOT THROUGH SAID ROTATIVE MEANS, AND A SINGLE ELEMENT MEANS BOTH TO LIMIT THE CONTROLLED ESCAPE OF THE LIQUEFIED 